Combination faucet and drinking fountain



M y 19, 1964 w. F. MCCLENAHAN 3,133,701

COMBINATION FAUCET AND DRINKING FOUNTAIN Filed Jan. 31, 1963 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM F. McCLENAHAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,133,701COMBINATION FAUCET AND DRINKING FOUNTAIN William F. McClenahan, 78Burlway Road, Burlingame, Calif. Filed Jan. 31, 1963, Ser. No. 255,329 1Claim. (Cl. 23925) This invention relates to a combination water fixtureand more particularly relates to a combination of a faucet and drinkingfountain suitable for use in mental or penal institutions.

In mental or penal institutions, it is important that all fixtures be ofa rugged nature to prevent the fixtures from being damaged by an inmateor to prevent the removal of any parts of the fixture which mightprovide a weapon for the inmate. In accordance with the presentinvention, a rugged fixture is provided which has only a single movingpart. The fixture is cast from aluminum and is adapted to be welded to ametal basin so it cannot be destroyed or removed by an inmate. The knobor handle portion of the fixture is removable only when one has accessto the inside of the valve from the rear. Thus, when the valve ismounted in place there are no exposed screws or other removable parts.

In the drawings forming a part of this application:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the fixture.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the fixture.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the improved fixture of the presentinvention.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters the fixture isgenerally designated 5. The fixture has a central body portion 7 havinga circular central bore 9 therein and having a heavy rectangular shank11 separated by a flange 13 from the rest of the body. Attached to thecentral body portion 7 is an upstanding tubular portion 15 which may beprovided with an antisquirt fitting 16. In line with said upstandingportion and extending downwardly is a similar tubular portion 17. Theupper portion 15 serves as a drinking fountain, while the lower portion17 is adapted to discharge water into a basin or the like. Mountedfor'rotation within the tubular opening 9 is a valve body 19 having aflange 21 at one end. A central opening 25 extends into the member 19and terminates in a side opening 27. An O-ring 29 serves as a seal. Thetop portion of the body mernher 7 may be flattened and extend to eachside to form a soap dish (not illustrated) or it may be curved to form aguard 31.

The normally closed front portion of body member 19 is drilled toreceive a screw 23 which passes into a knob 3,133,701 Patented May 19,1964 33, which is threaded to receive the screw. It is obvious that thescrew can only be reached from the rear of the valve, so that when thevalve is installed the screw is inaccessible. Further, since the knob 33is larger than the bore 9, the valve body is effectively locked in placeby the combined action of knob 33 and flange 21.

In use, the heavy shank 11 is welded into an aluminum or similar metalsink, and a separate valve, not illustrated, is used to turn the wateron and off. In order to use the device as a drinking fountain, it isonly necessary to turn the knob so that the arrow points up, while todischarge the water into a wash basin, the knob is turned in theopposite direction.

It is believed obvious from the foregoing that I have provided a simple,rugged fixture suitable for institutional use which serves both as adrinking fountain and a means for discharging water into a basin or thelike.

I claim:

A combination water fixture having in combination:

(a) a body member having a relatively large inlet opening at the rearthereof and a relatively small bore leading therefrom to the front ofthe body whereby a right angle shoulder is formed between the inlet andthe bore;

(12) a first integral tube leading upwardly from said bore;

(0) a second integral tube leading downwardly from said bore;

(d) a rotatable member fitting within said bore, said rotatable memberhaving a side opening adapted to line up with the first and second tubesand a central opening extending from the side opening to the rearthereof, said rotatable member having a right angle flange at the rearthereof which is larger than the bore and smaller than the inlet openingwhereby said flange engages and is retained by said shoulder;

(e) sealing means at the front of the rotatable member;

(f) a screw passing forwardly from the rotatable member into a knob,said screw being accessible only from the rear of the fixture throughsaid central opening; and

(g) said knob being larger than the bore whereby the rotatable member isretained in place by the combined action of the knob and the flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

